Molded egg tray



Feb. 11, 1964 J. w. BOYD 3,120,901

MOLDED EGG TRAY Filed Dec. 21, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l 0 a' i i i r "2Feb. 11, 1964 J. w. BOYD MOLDED EGG TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 211962 Feb. 11, 1964 J. w. BOYD MOLDED EGG TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledDec. 21, 1962 ly/ms???" I Qwp/Miagaga mawagm' United States Patent C)3,120,901 MOLDED EGG TRAY James William Boyd, Griffith, Ind, assignor toPackaging Corporation of America, Evanston, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Dec. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 2 46,5636 7 Claims. ((11.217-465) This invention relates to a molded egg tray and moreparticularly to an egg packaging filler flat having means thereon forfacilitating the denesting of the filler flats from a stackedrelationship.

In order to package eggs into standard egg cases, filler flats areemployed. These filler flats are formed of an absorbent cushioningmaterial such as molded pulp and have alternate rows of pockets andposts which combine to maintain each egg in protective isolatedrelationship with respect to the adjacent eggs in the case. As thefiller flats are manufactured, they are stacked in nested relationshipin order to provide for compact storage and shipment, and it iscustomary to actually compress these filler flats in their nestedcondition so that the most compact unit may be achieved. However, whenthe nested filler flats are received by the egg packaging plant, theymust be separated or denested so that they may be placed individual-1yinto the egg case as the eggs are packed. Since the tightly nestedportions of the filler fiats tend to frictionally engage and resistseparation, some means must be provided for preventing or overcomingthis frictional jamming. Heretofore, it has been proposed that thistendency toward jamming be minimized by maintaining sufficient spacingbetween overlying filler fiats to reduce excessive frictional engagementof the nested portions thereof. United States Patent No. 2,997,196 datedAugust 22, 1961, suggests that the desired spacing may be maintained bymeans of lugs molded on the sides of the posts in the area between thepockets, i.e., on the ribs which connect the posts together. UnitedStates Patent No. 1,919,028 dated July 18, 1933, suggests that the topportions of the ribs of a molded pulp egg receptaole may be filled in orthickened, which of course not only will tend to maintain the desiredspacing between nested structures but will also tend to increase therigidity of the structures. While such devices do serve to main tain aminimum spacing between stacked filler flats, thus reducing excessiveinitial frictional engagement of the nested portions thereof, they havenot been uniformly successful in eliminating the subsequent jammingtendencies of the stacked filler flats.

it is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a filler fiathaving improved means thereon for facilitating the separation therefromof a second and similarly constructed filler flat which has beeninitially placed in overlying nested relationship with respect thereto.

It is another object of this invention to provide a filler fiat havingmeans thereon which will not only maintain the desired spacing betweenthat filler flat and a similarly constructed overlying filler flat, butwhich will facilitate the proper and unhindered removal of the overlyingfiller flat therefrom.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a filler fiathaving means thereon which will permit a similarly constructed fillerflat to be withdrawn with unhindered ease from overlying nestedrelationship with respect thereto simply by raising one edge of the overlying filler flat.

Other objects will be seen, and a fuller understanding of the inventionmay be had by referring to the following description and claims taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The molded filler fiat constructed in accordance with 3,120,901 PatentedFeb. 11, 1964 ice this invention comprises a sheet having a plurality ofalternate rows of upwardly extending posts and downwardly extendingpockets. Disposed outwardly of the terminal row of posts at each of twoopposite sides of the filler fiat is a row of partial pockets, and aplurality of solid projections are provided, these projections extendingupwardly from the plane of the sheet and at least portions of theprojections being disposed outwardly adjacent the peripheral edge of thefiller flat. It is preferred that these outwardly extending portions ofthe projections actually extend beyond the outermost extremities of thehalf pockets. Thus, the projections act as fulcrums to permit the nestedfiller flats to be pivoted apart quite easily, even if compressed, bymerely lifting at one edge of each overlying filler fiat. The provisionof these outwardly and upwardly extending solid projecions which extendas close to the very edge of the sheet as possible in order .to providea fulcrum as high above the plane of the sheet and as far from thenested pockets and posts as is possible, is an important feature of thisinvention.

Means may be provided intermediate the terminal row of posts formaintaining the spacing of the nested portions of the filler flats insufficiently spaced relationship to pre vent any possible jamming ofthese intermediate portions.

With reference to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of onehalf of a filler flat embodying theinvention, the other half of the filler flat being a duplicate thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the filler flat shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation view of the filler fiat takensubstantially along lines 33 of FIG. 1 and showing a plurality of fillerflats in superposed nested relationship;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation view similar to FIG. 3 showingthe manner in which the: previously nested filler flats may be denestedor separated;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line -5-5 of FIG. 3 and showingthe underside portion of one of the posts;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 66of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation view taken in the directionindicated by the arrows 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view on an enlarged scale of a fillerfiat of slightly modified design;

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation view of the modified filler fiatillustrated in FIG. 8 taken substantially along line 9-9 of that figure;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view on an enlarged scale of still afurther modification of the filler flat embodying the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional elevation view of the filler fiat illustrated inFIG. 10 taken substantially along line 11-11 of that figure.

With more particular reference to the drawings, the filler flat v10 isgenerally of the type described in Patents No. 1,970,436 and No.2,872,062. The filler flat consists of a continuous piece of sheetmaterial preferably molded pulp having alternate rows of pockets 12 andposts 14. The pockets 12 are generally fnusto-oonical in shape extendingdownwardly from the plane of the sheet, and they are aligned in twotransverse directions, generally parallel to the peripheral edges of thesheet. The posts 14, which are approximately as high as the pockets 12are deep, are also of generally frustro-conical shape although somewhatnarrower and steeper than the pockets, and these posts are also alignedin two transverse directions generally parallel to the peripheral edgesof the sheet.

At each of two opposite sides of the filler fiat 10 is a terminal row14a of posts 14, and disposed outwardly of and extending partiallybetween the posts in the terminal rows 14a are half or partial pockets16, which like pockets 12 extend downwardly from the general plane ofthe sheet. A pair of finger grip recesses 18 are provided in the halfpocket area at the opposite sides of the sheet and these facilitatemanipulation of the filler flat within the egg case. Extendingtransverse to the rows of partial pockets 16 along each of the twoadjacent edges of the sheet is a row of half or partial posts 20 whichare disposed outwardly of each of the two terminal rows 12a of fullpockets 12. A of an inch radius is provided between the planar top andthe conical sloping sides of each post 14 and each half post 20. Thus,sharp edges are avoided at the tops of the posts and half posts and thetendency toward jamming during subsequent removal of the filler flatsfrom nested relationship.

With this construction, every other loaded filler flat in the egg caseis rotated 90 degrees on its vertical axis relative to the underlyingloaded filler flat, so that the bottoms of the pockets 12 of theoverlying filler flat will rest upon and be supported by the tops of thepost 14 of the underlying filler flat. The eggs, of course, rest in thepockets 12 of each underlying filler flat and extend upwardly partiallyinto the hollow posts of the overlying filler flat. It will be notedthat dividing portions 22 remain between the pockets 12 and lands 24remain between the half posts 20 and half pockets 16; also, a continuousperipheral rim 26 is disposed outwardly of the half pockets and halfposts. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 and-11 the tops of the dividing portions 22 are all disposed in the planeof the sheet. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8and 9, and as will be more fully described, the dividing portions areshown as being raised above the plane oi the sheet while the lands andperipheral 'rirn remain in the plane of the sheet. Insofar as thisdescription is concerned, the plane of the sheet may be considered to bethat plane defined by the lands 24 and the peripheral rim 26 or thehighest of these.

The filler flats 10 are formed by the usual vacuum pulp process. Thatis, pulp floating in a slurry is drawn by vacuum against a screen formor mold which passes through the slurry, thus forming the entire sheetwith the pockets 112, the posts 14 and all other portions in a singleoperation. The thus formed filler flats are then dried and they arestacked in nested relationship in order to provide a compact unit forstoring and shipping. To assure this compactness, the stacked and nestedfiller flats are usually compressed mechanically in a direction normalto the planes of the sheets, and because of the relatively steep anglesof the side portions of the pockets 12 and posts 14 and the consequentsusceptibility of these portions to jam when nested, difficulty may beencountered by the egg packing plant in attempting to separate thefiller flats unless some means is provided for properly facilitating thedenesting of these stacked filler flats.

For this purpose a plurality of solid projections 23 are provided oneach filler flat. These solid projections 28, which may be formed bycrowding the fibers into a narrow fold of the screen form at that point,extend upwardly from the plane of the sheet, and at least portions ofthese projections are disposed outwardly of the terminal rows 14a ofposts 14 a distance at least equal to half the distance between theseposts and the peripheral edge of the filler fiat. Each projection 28 ispreferably attached to a corresponding post in the terminal row, and inthe illustrated embodiments of the invention these projections extendoutwardly from these posts to at least approximately theoutermostextremities of the half pockets 16, and preferably beyond. Itis preferred that the height of the projections 23, that is, theelevation of these projections from the plane of the sheet of the fillerflat, be on the order of one-fourth the height of the posts 14 abovethat plane. Since the height of the posts in the preferred embodiment isbet-ween about of an inch and 1 inch, the height of the projections 28should be between about of an inch and to about A of an inch, althoughreasonably satisfa-ctory results can be obtained if the height of theprojections is on the order of Me of an inch or better above the planeof the sheet. Actually, it is preferred that the projections extendupwardly as high as possible, but this is limited by the pulp formingprocess, for if the height of the projection is increased much over thatof A1 of an inch a corresponding groove or channel tends to form on theopposite (under) side of the sheet.

The outward extension of each projection 28 is preferably as great aspossible, although again this is limited by the manufacturing processand usually the end of the projection must be recessed from the edge ofthe sheet on the order of about of an inch to permit withdrawal of thewet filler flat from the vacuum mold in the manu- 'facturing process.For best efficiency the projections 28, however, should extend outwardlyfrom the posts 14 in the terminal row 14a by a distance at least aboutone-half the height of the posts or between about of an inch and V2 ofan inch for the illustrated embodiments.

With the projections 28 thus formed the stacked and nested filler flats10 may be easily separated by raising one edge of the filler flat sothat the projections 28 serve as an outwardly disposed fulcrum or pivotfor the top filler flat, thus preventing the edge of the top filler flatat this pivot point from dropping or tilting into jamming engagementwith the filler flat immediately therebelow, see FIG. 4. The projections28 thus serve the dual function of spacing the stacked filler flats atthe oppositely disposed edges and of facilitating the proper andunhindered denesting of the filler flats.

The projections, therefore, eliminate the problem of jamming of thestacked filler flat, although in some instances it may be desirable todistribute the compression load and spacing chore more uniformly overthe tiller flat by providing additional means intermediate theoppositely disposed rows of projections 28 for maintaining the spacingbetween the nested intermediate portions of the filler fiat. This may bedone by providing a shoulder 30, see FIGS. 3 and 5, in the underside ofthe posts adjacent the top thereof. This shoulder 30 may be formed bymeans of a finishing die which moves into engagement with the undersideof the still wet filler flat on the screen form or mold just after thepulp has been drawn against the mold and before the wet filler flat hasbeen ejected from the mold and sent to the drier. The formation of theshoulder 30 thus is not a matter of crowding fibers into a narrow foldin the screen form or mold as was the case in the formation of theprojections 28, but this shoulder is formed by selectively compressingthe top portion of each post in such a manner as will leave the shoulderportion of the posts uncompressed by the bottom forming or finishingdie. Thus, when the filler flats it) have been dried and stacked intheir nested relationship as illustrated in FIG. 3, the top of the postsof each underlying filler flat will engage and support the shoulderportion 24 of the corresponding post in the overlying filler flat.

Another means for achieving this spacing of the intermediate portions ofthe filler flat is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this embodiment ofthe invention, the top parts 22a of at least some of the dividingportions 22 project above the upper edges of the pockets 12 and thusabove the plane of the sheet in a manner such as suggested in KoppelmanPatent No. 1,919,028. These upwardly extending parts are rendered solidas a result of drawing the pulp fibers into the narrow space between thefolds of the screen form or mold at that point, and these solid partsextend between the adjacent posts 12 thereby adding a degree of rigidityto the entire filler flat structure. In addition, the solid parts 22aact as spacers for assuring that the desired spacing will be maintainedbetween the nested intermediate portions of the stacked filler flats.This is best illustrated in FIG. 9.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 an interiorly disposedportion 31 of each post 14 in the terminal row 14a (except the centerpost which is usually a guide post) is angularly disposed with respectto both the top portion and the conical side portions of these posts.The angular disposition of this portion may be about 30 degrees withrespect to the vertical or 60 degrees with respect to the plane of thesheet whereas the normal taper of the sides of the conical posts is 18degrees with respect to the vertical or 72 degrees with respect to theplane of the sheet.

Still another modification of this intermediate spacing means isillustrated in FIGS. and 11. This modification consists in the formationof a narrow vertical solid web or lug 32 which diametrically spans thebottom of the pocket and extends upwardly from the bottom to a levelwhich is below that occupied by an egg within the cup. These webs 32engage the underside of the pockets in the overlying filler flat in thestack, as illustrated in FIG. 1'], and serve to assure that theintermediate nested portions of the stacked filler flats will beproperly spaced to prevent any possible jamming of these portions.

Also in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the projections33 are of slightly diiferent configuration, and they are not connectedto the sides of the posts in the terminal row as was the case with theprojections 28 of the previously illustrated embodiments. However, theheight, the outward positioning and the functions of these projections33 are the same as for the projections 28.

From the foregoing it may be seen that filler flats constructed inaccordance with this invention may be stacked and compressed for themost compact unit in shipment and storage and yet these filler flats maybe easily separated and denested by the egg packaging plant. Denestingof each overlying filler flat may be accomplished by merely lifting oneedge of that filler flat and permitting the outwardly extending edgeprojections 28 to act in unison as a single outwardly disposed fulcrumto assure that all nested portions of the overlying filler flat will beraised from the underlying filler flat even though only one edge of theoverlying filler flat is being elevated. Thus, the denesting of thefiller flats may become a onehand operation in the egg packaging plant.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that many modifications and changes invarious details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A molded pulp filler flat comprising a substantially flat sheethaving a plurality of alternate rows of pockets and hollow postsextending from the plane of said sheet, a predetermined number of saidhollow posts each having the interior thereof provided with a solidinwardly extending projection spaced from the upper end of said hollowinterior, and a plurality of solid second projections extending upwardlyfrom said sheet plane and disposed outwardly of a terminal row of posts;each of said second projections having at least a portion thereofdisposed in closer proximity to the periphery of said sheet than to anadjacent post in said terminal row; said second projection portionsbeing engageable with the underside of a filler flat arranged insuperposed nested relation, and such nested filler flats beingdenestable when one of such flats is pivoted relative to the other aboutall of the engaging second projection portions acting as a fulcrum.

2. A molded pulp filler flat comprising a substantially flat sheethaving a plurality of alternate rows of pockets and hollow postsextending from the plane of said sheet, a predetermined number of saidpockets each having a solid projection extending upwardly from thebottom of said pocket, and a plurality of sol-id second projectionsextending upwardly from said sheet plane and disposed outwardly of aterminal row of posts; each of said second projections having at least aportion thereof disposed in closer proximity to the periphery of saidsheet than to an adjacent post in said terminal row; said secondprojection portions being engageable with the underside of a filler flatarranged in superposed nested relation, and such nested filler flatbeing denestable when one of such flats is pivoted relative to the otherabout all of the engaging sec ond projection portions acting as afulcrum.

3. The filler flat recited in claim 1 wherein at least saidpredetermined number of said hollow post-seach has an exteriorconfiguration of a substantially truncated cone.

4. The filler flat recited in claim 1 wherein each second projection iselongated and extends fnom a post in said terminal row and is disposedtnansversely of said terminal row.

5. A molded pulp filler comprising a substantially flat sheet having aplurality of alternate rows of pockets and hollow posts extending fromthe plane of said sheet, adjacent pockets of each row being in spacedrelation and adjacent posts of each row being in spaced relation, aplurality of solid first projections extending upwardly from said sheetplane and interconnecting corresponding sect-ions of certain of saidadjacent posts, and a plurality of solid second projections extendingupwardly from said sheet plane and disposed outwardly of a terminal rowof posts; each of said semnd projections having at least a portionthereof disposed in closer proximity to the periphery of said sheet thanto an adjacent post in said terminal row; said first and secondprojections being en- :gagcable with the underside of a like filler flatarranged in superposed nested relation; such nested filler flats being:denesta'ble when one of such flats is pivoted relative to the otherabout all of the engaging second projection portions acting as afulcrum.

6. A molded pulp filler flat comprising a substantially flat sheethaving a plurality of alternate rows of pockets and hollow postsextending from the plane of said sheet, and a plurality of solidprojections extending upwardly from said sheet plane and disposedintermediate the pe ripheral edge of said sheet and a terminal row ofposts adjacent thereto; each of said projections having at least aportion thereof disposed in substantially closer proximity to said sheetperipheral edge than to an adjacent post in said terminal row; saidprojection portions being engageable with the underside of a likefill-er flat arranged in superposed nested relation; such nested fillerflats being denestable When one of such flats is pivoted relative to theother about all of the engaging projection portions acting as afulcrumand said projection portions are in continuous engagement withthe underside of such superposed flat during pivoting of one of suchflats relative to the other to eifect denesting.

7. A molded pulp filler flat comprising a substantially fl-at sheethaving a plurality of alternate rows of pockets and hollow postsextending from the plane of said sheet; a plurality of solid firstprojections disposed intermediate terminal rows of posts and adapted toengage surface portions of a like filler flat arranged in superposednested relation; and a plurality of solid second projections extendingupwardly from said sheet plane and disposed outwardly of a terminal rowof posts, each of said second projections having at least a portionthereof disposed in substantially closer proximity to the periphery ofsaid sheet than to an adjacent post in said terminal row and beingengageable with the underside of such superposed filler fiat; suchnested filler flats being denestable when one of such flats is pivotedrelative to the other about all of the engaging second projectionportions acting as a fulcrum, said second projection portions being incontinuous engagement with the underside of such super- 2 8 posed fillerfiat during such pivoting of one of such flats 2,347,658 Bourne May 2,1944 relative to the other to effect denesting. 2,447,045 Amberg Aug.17, 1948 2,997,196 Emery Aug. 22, 1961 References Cited in the file ofthis patent OTHER REFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Modern Packaging,Issue 1959, page 117, Article, 1,919,028 Hoppelman y 1933 Onicms inThermoforms,

1,971,075 Lockwood Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION Patent N0 3, 120,901 February 11; 1964 James William BoydIt is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 6, line 12,, strike out "hollow"; column 6 line 18, after"filler" insert flat Signed and sealed this 30th day of June 19640(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W; SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER AT testing Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A MOLDED PULP FILLER FLAT COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SHEETHAVING A PLURALITY OF ALTERNATE ROWS OF POCKETS AND HOLLOW POSTSEXTENDING FROM THE PLANE OF SAID SHEET, A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF SAIDHOLLOW POSTS EACH HAVING THE INTERIOR THEREOF PROVIDED WITH A SOLIDINWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTION SPACED FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID HOLLOWINTERIOR, AND A PLURALITY OF SOLID SECOND PROJECTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLYFROM SAID SHEET PLANE AND DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF A TERMINAL ROW OF POSTS;EACH OF SAID SECOND PROJECTIONS HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOFDISPOSED IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SHEET THAN TO ANADJACENT POST IN SAID TERMINAL ROW; SAID SECOND PROJECTION PORTIONSBEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF A FILLER FLAT ARRANGED INSUPERPOSED NESTED RELATION, AND SUCH NESTED FILLER FLATS DENESTABLE WHENONE OF SUCH FLATS IS PIVOTED RELATIVE TO THE OTHER ABOUT ALL THEENGAGING SECOND PROJECTION PORTIONS ACTING AS A FULCRUM.